Vehicle computing systems, such as the FORD SYNC system, have been provided with increasing capability to provide applications and unique features to vehicle drivers and occupants. For example, even predating SYNC, vehicles have been outfitted with the capability to provide navigation directions to users.
Typically, for a vehicle to provide on-board navigation, the vehicle is equipped with a GPS device, which provides a current location of the vehicle, and some form of processor and output for handling the direction processing and direction display.
At the same time, many modern wireless devices, such as smart phones, now come equipped with GPS features as well. These devices often have direction provision capability, and can be used to determine directions to a destination.
If the output from these smart phone navigation applications could be utilized by a vehicle computing system, the vehicle OEM could forego the installation of a GPS module in the vehicle itself. Unfortunately, there is little in the way of standardization for the developers of smart phone navigation applications, due to both the lack of mandated standardizations and variance between developers. Often times, the developer can even be a sole individual working to make an application to be sold to users of the mobile device.